


these little moments that lead me to you

by raininthesea



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:21:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27265648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raininthesea/pseuds/raininthesea
Summary: One-shot of a few of the shared moments where Asami only fell harder for Korra.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 16
Kudos: 148





	these little moments that lead me to you

**Author's Note:**

> Writing style heavily inspired by @softshocks (check out their work "it's such a gorgeous sight to see you in the middle of the night").

Asami was positively in love with Korra. It wasn’t just her naturally selfless personality that drew her in, no. It was all the little moments that gathered into one big gesture over time. 

(Like that one time Korra had searched up how many farts were being produced per second in the whole entire world. And then proceeded to double over in uncontrollable laughter, even falling off her desk chair, only to continue laughing to the point where _Asami_ was the one who felt the aftereffects of laughing too hard just by watching her. It was 1.15 million farts per second, by the way.) 

(Or that one time Korra had tried to surprise Asami by sneaking into her dorm at 4 am with groceries to restock her fridge and to make her breakfast. It only resulted in Asami thinking Korra was a thug and pepper sprayed her before even getting a good look at her.)

They had bad times too. The vile, unpleasant memories that made Asami want to tear up and punch a hole in the thin walls of her stupidly tiny college dorm. But for whatever god-forsaken reason, they only made her love Korra more. 

Because that’s what love is isn’t it? It starts out as a gut-feeling; a quickening of the heart or the weakening of the knees. But then it festers and grows and then it becomes this uncontrollable mess that keeps one up at night, sobbing into their pillow because it simply _hurts_ so much. 

Asami never knew what it was like to truly love someone before. What it was like to accept someone of their faults and their strengths. To acknowledge their flaws instead of pretending that they didn’t exist, only gently guiding them to be their better self. 

Asami loved all of Korra: her growingly-rare moments of hotheadedness, how sometimes she yelled after a frustrating session of playing video games, her tomboyish moments of immatureness, that devilish look in her eye when she was plotting something with Bolin (usually against Mako); how she tended to not notice the world moving around her (although Asami suspected that she was faking it at times). 

It wasn’t a surprise one morning when Asami woke up to the smell of cooking and the sound of a indie-rock station on the radio that Korra adored (who even listens to indie-rock in the morning?). After the 4 am pepper spraying incident, Asami had come to welcome Korra’s unannounced presence and took joy in trying to predict when Korra’s next early morning visit would be. 

Instead of getting up, Asami only laid there, with a dopey smile teasing her lips. She was willing to bet her inheritance that domestic life with Korra would be nothing short of wonderful. It would be so natural to just be with her.

How could it not? They knew everything about each other, considering the amount of time they spent at each other’s dorms they could practically be living with one another, and they had the right balance of things in common and things of unknown territory to the other. 

Asami carried the dopey grin with her to the kitchen, where she seated herself at the small kitchen island. She nestled her head upon folded arms and watched adoringly as Korra hummed and danced while cooking, completely immersed in her one-person world. 

She hadn’t noticed when Korra turned around and gazed at Asami with one of her cheeks dorkily puffed out. She hadn’t noticed when Korra had made her way over to her, but she definitely did notice when Korra pressed a kiss to her forehead, followed by a loving smile.

They wordlessly ate breakfast together, with Korra well aware of what Asami’s prolonged morning disorientations were like. But today, Asami had woken with a sharp mind. She simply wanted to enjoy Korra’s presence and company, and to bask in the knowledge that for the morning, Korra was hers. 

* * *

It took an extended amount of more shared moments for Asami to work up to the notion of confessing to Korra. Korra, who wormed her way into her every thought. Korra, whose eyes were as serene and peaceful as the moon, yet could still be as stormy as the iciest blizzard. Korra, who Asami wanted to kiss. Korra, her best friend (forever, she hoped). 

(Asami had never wanted to kiss Korra more than when Korra had run the whole two and a half miles to Asami’s dorm from her workplace, immediately after Asami had texted her in a time of stress and frustration from her growing pile of college work. She had given in to the incessant knocking at her door after a few minutes, shocked to see a grinning, sweaty Korra holding up a container of ice cream. She nearly cried because of the gesture that her best friend had just done. Instead, she hugged Korra tightly, hoping Korra wouldn’t notice how the embrace lasted way longer than what friends would expect.) 

Impossibly, Asami noticed more of Korra every moment they shared. 

(Embarrassingly, one time, Asami had been at Korra’s dorm, studying for their upcoming midterms. In the midst of her short break, she had unconsciously stared at Korra scratching down messy notes into a battered notebook.

“You have really nice hands,” she blurted out. Immediately, she wanted to bash her head down into the table and dissipate into a million shards. 

But it was true. Most people would assume that Korra, being a ragtag student athlete, would have rough, dry hands. Which was correct up to a point. They were rough and calloused, but they were impossibly soft and gentle. They held the power to destroy, and instead they were warm and innocent.

“Err… Thanks? I mean, you have really nice hands, too,” Korra smiled, while tilting her head, her eyebrows furrowing in amused confusion. 

Asami only waved her off with a tired smile, hoping Korra would assume that she had said it in a delirious state of sleep deprivation.) 

And her stupid smile. That lopsided smile, where her left side always quirked up more than her right. It was downright illegal to have a smile that adorable. Fittingly, Korra was never one for rules. 

If asked, Asami would drop everything for Korra. She spent countless nights wondering if her love for the blue-eyed beauty had become obsessive, or if this was simply love in its rawest, unfiltered form. In the end, she decided, it was love. Always love. 

So instead of confession, she allowed herself to live in the moments. Reminded herself to be grateful for what was, and to stop overthinking about what could be. 

(Like that one time they had went out to a bar to let off steam after midterms. Korra had a few too many; Asami lingered still on her second drink. She didn’t want to miss a single second of any of it. Of how Korra looked like, with those flashing lights highlighting certain parts of her face, shadowing others. Of how carefree she looked, swaying hips and laughing eyes and all. How she effortlessly moved to the music, not giving a care for whoever might be watching. 

Asami almost caught herself thinking about what could be her future. How she could be there dancing with Korra, and not that girl who was eyeing Korra. Korra, unaware as always, just kept on dancing. 

So instead, Asami made her wistful future her present. She made her way to Korra and they laughed and danced together. Korra said she didn’t remember much of it the next morning.) 

* * *

It happened at the most unexpected time. But that was to be expected. Love always came at unexpected times. 

They were in Asami’s new apartment (she had finally moved out of the dorm she had despised so much). Clothes that littered the floor, papers that were scattered all across the coffee table in front of the television, the slightly worn couch, mellow lighting; Asami loved it all. 

They were sitting on the couch. Correction: Asami was sprawled across the couch and her head rested upon Korra’s lap. Korra absentmindedly played with her hair as they watched a movie. 

(It was tradition to watch a movie every Friday night. Korra always brought groceries with her, and after some time, Asami joined her in the grocery shopping. That had become tradition as well.)

Asami didn’t know what had spurned her forward. It hadn’t even been the setting that Asami had ever imagined. No, not quite the right setting at all. They were both in dirty pajamas and both in desperate need of sleep. 

“I love you-” Asami’s eyes widened at her own words and she scrambled to save herself, “y-you-ohh-gurt. Yogurt. I love yogurt.” 

Korra only looked down at her with an arched eyebrow, and Asami swore Korra almost looked wounded. Those eyes that were usually so wonderfully warm, now guarded. 

After what seemed like forever (it had only been a few seconds), Korra chuckled. “Okay, lemme go get you some yogurt then. I’m pretty sure we bought some earlier.” 

Korra lifted Asami off her lap and stood up, making her way over to the kitchen, leaving Asami to stare at her walking off. She sighed to herself. Now would be a good time as ever, she chided herself. What was the worst that could even happen? 

Oh so much could happen. But Asami’s mind was conveniently blank at that moment. 

So she got up and soundlessly followed Korra. Korra was helpfully head-deep in the fridge, rummaging around, trying to find some yogurt. Asami wondered if Korra knew that she was standing behind her; she was spending an impossibly long time finding said yogurt. 

“Korra,” Asami sighed. 

“Hold on, I’m pretty sure it’s here somewhere.” 

“Korra.” 

“Just a sec!”

“ _Korra_.” 

Korra finally popped out, flaking a sheepish grin. “Sorry, couldn’t find it. Guess we didn’t buy any, I’ll buy you some tomorrow, I pro-” 

“We both know this isn’t about yogurt.” Asami allowed herself a small smile. 

Korra’s grin dropped, and she looked like she was scrambling to form a coherent thought. 

“I- we- I- wait, what?”

  
  
“Korra, please,” Asami pleaded, “Don’t play dumb.” 

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I just…” 

Korra faltered, and Asami sighed again. 

“I love you, Korra. And I know we’ve said it before, as friends. But I think we both know this isn’t me just saying it as a friend. Just…” Asami noted down Korra’s widening eyes, “just please don’t push me away because of it.” 

Korra ducked her head, albeit not before Asami caught a good look at the blush that was dusting her cheeks. She took a good couple of breaths as they stood there in painstaking silence. Finally, Korra looked up, her eyes looking every part uncertain and confident at the same time. 

“I… I love you, too,” Korra blinked, “Whoa holy shit, that’s the first time I’ve ever said it out loud. It feels kinda good actually. Actually, it feels great! That felt great? I don’t know. I think I’m gonna do that again. Say it again, I mean. You know, just to make sure I said it right. Asami, I love yo-” 

Asami rolled her eyes and cut her off with a rather chaste kiss. She wished it could have been longer, but oh well. It did the trick. 

“To quote: that felt great… I’m gonna do that again.” Asami smirked teasingly. 

“Just shut up and kiss me,” Korra mumbled, her face becoming increasingly redder. 

And so she did, and her whole world exploded. 

Asami used one hand to tilt Korra’s chin up slightly and fed the other through Korra’s tangled yet oh so soft hair. It was slow at first. Asami leaned down almost hesitatingly, daring Korra to close the stretching space between them. And when Korra did, Asami almost gasped out of delight. Those lips that she had dreamed and only watched from a distance she now got to experience. Those lips that practically screamed of Korra and were so benign. 

She would never get used to the way their bodies fit together, of the way they moved their lips in tandem, or of the way that Korra caressed her cheek gently. No, she would never get used to it, and that was quite alright. 

And then her brain caught up as realization dawned upon her. Korra loved her! She broke the kiss off and rested her forehead against Korra’s. 

“I love you,” Asami whispered. 

Korra only looked at Asami, her eyes filled with so much adoration. 

“Asami Sato, I love you,” Korra blinked, “Will you uh… you know, uh, go out with me?” 

Asami watched her out of wry amusement. “Korra, you don’t even have to ask.” 

“Wait so is that a no?” 

“No, you idiot! It’s a yes! Of course it’s a yes,” Asami almost released an exasperated sigh. “I didn’t fall in love with you just to say no when you finally asked me out.” 

“Wait, why do I have to be the one that asked you out?” Korra demanded, “Why couldn’t you ask me out?” 

Asami only sighed. She seemed to be doing a lot of sighing lately. “Korra, will you go out with me?” 

“Asami Sato,” Korra teasingly began, “I am so in love with you, goddammit. I don’t think I could bring myself to say no even if I wanted to.”

“So is that a no?” 

“No! It’s a yes,” Korra pouted. 

Asami closed her eyes and let out a small chuckle, all while looping her arms around Korra’s waist, hugging her tightly. She nuzzled her face into the crook between Korra’s neck and shoulder, and her chuckles turned into choking sobs of relief. 

Alarmed, Korra drew back. “Hey, are you alright?” 

Asami furiously wiped at her eyes. “I’m just… emotional. I’ve loved you for so long. I didn’t really expect you to actually love me back.” 

Korra tilted her head, studying the other woman in silence. Then she grinned devilishly and brought her arms around to lift Asami off the ground bridal style.

“Korra! Let me down!” 

Korra only grunted and carried her back to the couch where they collapsed into a heap of tangled legs and uncomfortable arms. She rearranged them so that Asami laid on top of her, and she circled Asami’s waist. 

Asami blinked and gave in, nestling her head into Korra’s chest. 

“I don’t know how I could not love you,” Korra paused, “Remember that one time we went on that drive in the middle of the night? And we bought donuts and we were just driving around to give them to Bolin and Mako. And we were singing and whatever. I fell in love with you right there. You just looked so happy and then I realized that I wanted to be the one that made you happy.” 

Asami lifted her head to look at her. “Korra… That was two years ago.”

Korra smiled softly. “I know. But it was impossible to not fall in love with you, you know?” 

Asami nearly started crying. Nearly. She only settled further into Korra’s embrace as Korra rubbed circles into her back, breathing in the smell that was so distinctly _Korra_.

“You’re an ass. We’ve really just been pining for each other for 2 years now, huh?” Asami almost laughed. 

Korra only hummed in response and pressed a kiss to her forehead. No, Asami could never get used to it, to this; them. But it was definitely the little moments, she decided, that made this possible. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Once again, I hate and rushed the ending, but that's okay. Feel free to leave criticism; I am in desperate need of some. 
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @raininthesea for more non-fandom related writing and the occasional TLOK repost.


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